$2.00 boquets : (

sgiesler(USDA 5)January 30, 2006

Hubby took the kids and I for a drive. We went to a flea market probably about an hour or so from our house. I was surprised to see a flower vendor there. I was shocked when I saw that the price for a boquet was $2.00. They were nice size boquets with a big white lily and roses (several colors available) and nice fillers. Hubby thought maybe the price was higher earlier and they were just trying to sell the rest of the flowers. They were making the boquets up on the spot. Some were standing in line with the colors of roses they wanted in their hands also. There wasn't any competition for the flowers there so I don't know why they thought they had to sell so cheaply. The name of the fleamarket was called Four Seasons and is located in Hubbard, Ohio in case anyone wants to visit. For this time of year, it is a pretty big fleamarket with all kinds of good stuff. I can't wait to go back in the summer.

Either no one has been on the this forum in a couple of days, like myself, or no one wanted to comment on such foolishness. There is no money to be made at $2.00 a bouquet. I hope you bought one just to find out how long the flowers lasted, or at least asked the person if the flowers were GIVEN to him. What does he sell them for in the summer, 50 ccents?
Cheryl

I didn't buy any because we weren't going right home. The flowers were being sold from a permanent set-up. The only thing I could think of was that they have another flower biz and these were the extras or something. I wouldn't be at all surprised if they had a short vase life. Some of the flowers sitting around were looking a bit over the hill. The boquets themselves looked great (I am sure they toss the old looking ones) but I wondered if they would look like the aging ones shortly. I guess for $2.00 expectations shouldn't run too high. I didn't talk to the flower sellers. They were quite busy.

It was a flea market for goodness sakes. Read the ast sentence in your first post. You can't wait to go back. Imported lilies, roses, carnations, mums, etc that are found to be in a surplus are sold in such venues all the time.

As market farmers, we don't compete with this. And, second guessing why they are being sold in this manner, is just not a strategy that is of any benefit to any of us growers.

The fleamarket was awesome and yes I can't wait to go back in the summer (should be many times larger then). That of course has nothing to do with the flower sellers. Also I wouldn't dream of trying to sell any flowers there. I apparently mistakenly thought it would be o.k. to post about my surprise that anyone would sell nice big boquets for that price anywhere, fleamarket or not. I am sorry that you disapprove. I will try and not make that mistake again.

sgiesler, donÂt get in a tiff its just that there is a difference between buying flowers off a truck and reselling them and growing and standing behind a product.
Last year I sold almost all vegetables at 2 farmers markets and I cant tell you how many times I heard of how cheep the local store was for the same items I was selling.

When they said things like that all I could do is smile, Sure I could tell them ho much better my vegetables were in taste and for health.
But some buyers just donÂt care; they will try to cut a deal like itÂs an auction.

But for every one of those there were 5 good ones who had no issues with price.

The point of all this? It was a flemarket and the flowers were off some truck from Peru (nothing against the people of Peru) LOL

Grow what they canÂt get, Sell where they donÂt, its a big world out there is enough for everyone.

I agree it seems like you have to compete with 2.00 bouquets but you donÂt, the people paying 2.00 get 2.00 worth.

Sell them 7.00 worth and make it worth every penny and they will come back.

There was a rash of of thefts from gravesites too where folks were selling the flowers that they had stolen.
If this were the case, then the $2.00 was all profit albeit most shameful.

I agree with the other poster that you get what you pay for. I make soaps/sachets/salves/lip balms... with chemical-free (read Organic without the expensive certification - I am an Organic gardener, but can't officially call my products organic - LOL) herbs and flowers... .
Most people do not have have a problem with my prices because they know they are getting their money's worth. BUT, I do get someone every once in a while who wants WalMart or dollar store prices.
I wont argue with them and let let go on their merry way to those stores because they WILL get exactly what they paid for - a cheaply made product that they have no idea from where it came or how the plants were REALLY grown.

Yes, you get what you pay for. At our local farmer's market we have a group of people that come from as far away as 100 miles to sell their flowers at our local market. Their prices are low and there are at least 10 of them at a booth making up bouquets, plus they have two booths at the market so if you miss one you can catch the other one. As a small local farmer this makes it tough competition, I don't even plan on selling there because I could not compete. I heard that they may be selling what was left over from their local farmer's market, then they come to our's and unload the rest. I stick to selling to people who appreciate my flowers and give me a good price even though I might not sell tons of flowers I know that I am getting what they are worth.